Shark Alliance

The Shark Alliance was founded in Europe in 2006 to campaign for an EU Shark Action Plan and to close loopholes in the EU’s ban on shark ‘finning’—the wasteful practice of cutting off valuable shark fins and discarding the body at sea. The alliance was led by: The European Elasmobranch Association, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Project Aware and Shark Trust.

The EU is fast becoming a world leader in shark conservation, and these significant milestones will go a long way toward ensuring a sustainable future for sharks.

Yet there is unfinished business to safeguard sharks globally. Although the Shark Alliance campaign came to a successful conclusion, our member groups continue to educate and advocate for science-based shark conservation and management in the EU and around the world.

Our Work

Spain: The Shark Alliance is yet again expressing outrage over the continued illegal take of basking sharks in Spain. The shark was landed in Galicia on March 19th; only eighteen days after two of these gentle giants were landed in Northern Spain. Read More

Following years of debate around the need to close loopholes in the 2003 European Union ban on shark finning—the wasteful practice of slicing off a shark's fins and discarding the body at sea—the EU finally adopted a regulation Thursday requiring that all sharks be brought to port with their fins naturally attached. Read More

STRASBOURG - The Shark Alliance welcomes the European Parliament’s vote to close loopholes in the European Union ban on shark finning, the practice of slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body at sea. After years of debate, 566 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in favor of a report endorsing the European Commission’s proposal to require that fins be left naturally attached... Read More

About The Pew Charitable Trusts

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and invigorate civic life.

Trust Magazine

Our quarterly news magazine. Every issue features articles on Pew’s work from across the organization.Read current issue ›